Studies consistently show that patients have limited “health literacy.” In other words, patients, generally speaking, have limited understanding of the role they should play in their own health care. Limited patient health literacy results in limited use of preventive services, delayed diagnoses, lack of understanding of medical conditions, poor self-management skills, and failure to adhere to medical instructions. One specific aspect of patient health illiteracy is unintentional non-adherence to a medication regimen; studies have shown that half of patients misunderstand and demonstrate misuse of prescribed medications and that patients unnecessarily overcomplicate multi-drug regimens. Patients' misunderstanding of medication regimens, coupled with greater regimen complexity, results in less effective treatment, worse clinical outcomes, increased risk of hospitalization, poor physical and mental health, increased mortality risk, and greater healthcare costs. Some studies have shown these costs to range between $106 and $223 billion per year. What is needed is a comprehensive system enabling patients, physicians and pharmacists to more effectively communicate, and for patients to gain a greater understanding of their own health care and medication management.